Grim, dark, and brutal are the best words to describe Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #1. Writer Benjamin Percy continues his bleak streak in the Marvel Predator mini-series with Predator Kills the Marvel Universe, except he’s now bringing the whole Predator race, aka the Yautja. While audiences generally watch a single Predator or a team of Predators combat the human heroes, Percy changes the formula and has the entire race invade the Marvel Earth. This is one few times that the Predator race actively invades another planet, as in nearly every other instance, the Predators hunt for sport.
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Percy carries over all the major plot points from the previous Predator vs. series, shaping a Marvel Universe uniquely his own. The biggest issue with Percy’s Predator comics is that his characterization is pretty superficial. The writer clearly understands his Marvel history, yet he doesn’t offer deep introspection or complicated plots. In fairness to Percy, the Predator comics are meant to be some dumb fun. But even with that caveat, it’s hard to take any enjoyment in the first issue of Predator Kills the Marvel Universe when a good chunk of the comic presents the Predators brutally annihilating our favorite Marvel heroes.
Is Predator Kills the Marvel Universe Too Dark for Its Own Good?
Percy wastes no time with his massacre of the Marvel Universe, with the Yautja and Kraven the Hunter setting a trap for the Guardians of the Galaxy. Right away, Percy’s writing for the Guardians feels too simplistic. He doesn’t nail any of the characters’ voices, even with his extended back-and-forth between Star-Lord and Rocket. It ultimately doesn’t matter as the Guardians are not in the comic for long, yet it’s the same issue Percy has with the Fantastic Four later on. There’s a stiffness and awkwardness in Percy’s dialogue that is either too on-the-nose or a little bit too silly. The shallowness wouldn’t be too much of a problem if the comic is a fun and light-hearted adventure. Nonetheless, it’s hard to smile through the issue when the Predators are killing so many heroes. Not one, but two iconic Marvel superheroes lose their heads within the first issue.
On one hand, the overall bleak tone makes the comic difficult to stomach. At times, it feels excessive only to be excessive. Yet, on the other hand, it’s always cool to see the Predators be efficient killing machines and slay the Marvel heroes with precision. To establish the Yautja as a worthy threat, the aliens need to be shown taking out some heroes at the start. Even though the Guardians were unfortunate fodder, targeting the Fantastic Four next was a deliberate attack at Marvel’s heart. This makes the Predators good adversaries to fight against the superheroes, with Vibranium and Kraven the Hunter on their side, they already have an advantage. It’s always a good storytelling decision to have the protagonists suffer from crushing defeat early on so that their ultimate rise would seem that much sweeter. However, since the Marvel Predator comics take place in an alternate universe, Percy may not have the same inclination to give this story a happy ending.
Sadly, the artwork is likely the worst part of the first issue. While pencilers Marcelo Ferreira and Daniel Picciotto deliver decent linework, the artwork feels very rushed. Many of the faces appear off and are inconsistent, rarely conveying much personality outside several shock faces. There’s also not a lot of detail in the artwork, but given that a big portion of the comic is gore, it’s probably good that the art doesn’t go into too much detail. Percy also focuses so much on setting up the conflict between the Predators and the Marvel World that the sudden switch to the Weapons Plus program is oddly paced in the comic. It’s a clear carryover from Percy’s Predator vs. Wolverine comic, and will have pay-off later, yet it just feels awkward in the first issue. The ending of the comic feels sudden, leaving the story when it was finally picking up.
Percy, Ferreria, and Picciotto do right for the Predators in Predator Kills the Marvel Universe. The infamous alien hunters are presented as cool, violent, and competent, everything you want from a Predator story. If you want to read a good comic starring the Predators, then Predator Kills the Marvel Universe is off to a worthy start. Nonetheless, the rushed artwork and awkward characterization of several Marvel heroes hold this issue down. Percy is clearly enjoying constructing and breaking his own version of the Marvel Universe, and that joy is palpable to an extent. You may love how Percy breaks all the toys, even if it isn’t the most sophisticated story on the stands.
Rating: 3 out of 5
What did you think of Benjamin Percy’s, Marcelo Ferreria’s, and Daniel Picciotto’s Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #1? Let us know in the comments!
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Image courtesy of Netflix
